HAPPY NEW YEAR!
JANUARY 2022 / VOLUME 178
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Every year your Tulsa Master Gardeners partner with the local Marine Corp to provide Toys for Tots during the holidays. This year was a blowout! Over 300 items were donated by your Master Gardeners which helped to make for a very nice Christmas for many children in the Tulsa area. Tulsa is such a giving community! |
JANUARY HORTICULTURAL
AND GARDEN TIPS
Learn about what you should be doing in the month of JANUARY by clicking on GARDEN TIPS.
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From Green Country Master Composters |
Many gardeners assume that their composting duties are complete when they pile up leaves in the fall. In this composition, it will make a good mulch for putting around plants which helps with water retention and weed control. While this will improve one's overall plant health and appearance, it does not provide all the benefits of composting. Homemade compost may be the single best way to add nutrients and organic matter to both your flower beds and vegetable gardens. And, using a stationary compost bin or one with several bins can allow us to continue to ‘make’ compost all winter.
Two particularly important things to remember about composting are:
1) the micro-organisms work better when hot and moist, and
2) turning the pile helps the physical breakdown of the material and distributes moisture
If we do not take care of these two composting chores, then we may wind up with just a pile of partially decomposed leaves for a while. They will eventually break down, but it will take much longer to do so.
Watering while you turn the pile is a great way to distribute moisture. In extremely cold weather, consider covering the compost with black plastic to use the solar rays of the sun to generate the needed heat. The key is to not get ‘too wet’ or ‘too hot’ - shoot for warm and damp. If you are asking worms to help with your compost, you will not need to turn the heap as often. But remember, worms do not like it hot - just warm.
Feel free to continue adding material to the pile throughout the winter. Shredded newsprint can be added for “browns” and kitchen scraps can be added for “greens”. Work your compost pile over the winter months and your plants will love you in the spring!
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TOOL OF THE MONTH:
Battery-Operated Handheld Blower
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There are many good blowers on the market these days. And, many folks are moving away from gas-powered and electrically-powered blowers to battery operated. They are the most mobile of any kind and just about as powerful. This model will move up to 450 CFM coupled with a reasonable noise level of just 66 dB(A) which is equivalent to a hair dryer or a vacuum. However, ear protection is always recommended. With a variable trigger it will operate up to 87 minutes on low or 12 minutes on high with a single charge.
While we don't specially support any particular tool brand, retail or online store, this handy-dandy blower can be found at Home Depot and Amazon for roughly $150 (tool only) or $200 (tool + battery + charger).
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CHRISTMAS TREE DISPOSAL OPTIONS
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Another Christmas has come and gone and that fresh-cut tree isn’t so fresh any more. What to do with it now? After you remove all the decorations, you have choices.
DON'T:
- Burn it in your fireplace
- Burn it in your woodstove
DO:
- Take it to a local nursery for mulching (call ahead)
- Take it to Tulsa's Green Waste Mulch Site for mulching
- Recycle it as a bird habitat to provide winter shelter
- Put on your curb for trash pick-up day (remove all decorations and cut in 4' sections)
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TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOUR GARDEN TOOLS |
With the onset of winter, gardening for the most part is over for a while. But, there are a few things you can be doing on warmer days . . . like winterizing your garden tools. Our tools do so much work and take care of us throughout the year, so it would be appropriate for us to spend a little time taking care of them so they can take care of us again next year . . . and the year after . . . and the year after that.
To learn some tips on taking care of your tools during the winter, click on WINTERIZING TOOLS.
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FEEDING THE BIRDS IN WINTER |
Birds provide so much joy to us as homeowners and gardeners. They are not only gorgeous to look at with behaviors that are interesting to observe, but they also provide many advantages to our ecosystem. Among their many positive attributes, they spread seeds, pollinate plants, control pests, reduce weeds, and are scavengers to act as nature's clean-up crew. With that being said, there are things we can do to help them survive the harsh winter months.
Birds need three things to survive: food, water, and shelter. This article focuses on food, with a handy table that pairs the various birds commonly found in our area with their favorite foods.
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SPIDER MITE (enlarged - actual size is 1/20" long) |
APHIDS (actual size is 1/8" long) |
Have some unwanted guests in your house over the winter (that aren't relatives)? We're talking about gnats, aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, white flies and the like. Unknowingly to you, they may have taken a ride inside from the back porch recently. Unfortunately, the situation will only worsen if left untreated.
So, what to do about this? Click on OUTDOOR PESTS INDOORS for insights into prevention, control measures, and chemicals that can be taken to remedy this issue.
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What beauties these are! Of all flowering bulbs, amaryllis are perhaps some of the easiest to grow. They do well both indoors as well as outdoors and maintain their blooms for several weeks. They provide fantastic results for both experienced gardeners as well as novices.
There are a few things that need to be done to ensure success. Click on AMARYLLIS to learn about these proven tips.
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Monarchs are one of natures prettiest creatures and most efficient pollinators. Unfortunately, the monarch butterfly population has been in decline over recent years, primarily due to pesticides, general development, and global climate change. In fact, in just over the last 20 years, monarch populations have fallen by more than 80 percent!
The monarch caterpillar's only food source are the leaves on a milkweed plant. Also, the milkweed's flower nectar is critical for fueling monarch butterflies during their long annual migrations and overwintering. Reacting to this concern, there has been a significant increase in planting more milkweed to help stem this decline. And, because milkweed plants contain seeds, those can actually be harvested and planted to increase the number of host plants.
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WINTER GARDENING AND
SPRING PREPARATION
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Thought it wouldn't hurt to share one more time some of the various winter articles from recent years. So, if you're a long-time subscriber, some articles may come in handy as a reminder of what can be done during this season. For new time subscribers, it will give you a variety of topics to read on one of those cold, winter days and maybe inspire you to get outside on a milder day. Enjoy!
And, for those over-achievers out there, here are some handy winter topics to help prepare for next spring.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Since 1983, the Tulsa Master Gardeners have been serving the public by offering research-based horticultural information to residents of Tulsa and the surrounding area. The Tulsa Master Gardener Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. As such, it receives no city, state or federal funding for its Tulsa community outreach programs. In fact, the Tulsa's Master Gardener programs are self-funded by its own fundraisers, from member donations, and from public donations.
The main Tulsa Master Gardener fundraiser is its Annual Spring Plant Sale that is held each April. Other fundraisers include the Garden Tour and Garage Sale in June. And, one of the most important income sources that sometimes gets overlooked are the personal and corporate donations. These are so important in helping us to meet our financial obligations and we want you to know they are very much appreciated.
MG Endowment Fund
The Tulsa Master Gardeners have been around for over three decades and we plan to be around for many more decades. Furthermore, we are considered one of the top five Master Gardener county programs in the entire nation. We are because of the size of our Foundation membership, the number, diversity and activity level of our various community outreach programs, and our overall financial strength!
So, we are pleased to announce, in partnership with the Tulsa Community Foundation, the Master Gardener Foundation has established an Endowment Fund to ensure our long-term financial strength. Our plans are to build this fund for many years before making any withdrawals from it. Please consider us as you make your annual gift giving as well as longer-term estate planning decisions. Remember, all donations are fully tax deductible!
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the long-term success of the Tulsa Master Gardener program, click on
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the Tulsa Master Gardener program's annual expenses, click on
We thank ALL of you for having been such faithful contributors both in the past and in advance for your future consideration and participation! So proud to be a part of the Tulsa area - such a giving community!
MG AGENCY FUND
Judy Feuquay
Phyllis Campbell
Elaine Dodson
Connie Conrad
Joe Dutton
Helen Huntington
Karen Rose
Leanne Roberts
Kathi Baab
Jackie Rago
John Mowry
Joseph Alt
Patrick & Estella Franken
James H. & Cynthia Peebles
Stephanie DeVerges
Edna Meziere
Steven Zenthoefer
Ann Humes
Susan & Bill Driesel
S&L Management Company
Robert Vaught
Marilyn Baldwin
Susan Cravens
Susan West
Gregory & Mary Pittman
Christine Steichen
Carol Larson
MG ENDOWMENT FUND
Becky Collins
Mickey Vanatta
Harold or Sheryl Springer
Priscilla Langenderfer
Alyne Eiland
Randy Madsen
Andrew S. Wilbourn
June Scoggins
Jean Hutter
Germana Creveling
Doug Fletcher
IOLA HOUCHIN MEMORIAL
Diane Erbacher
IN MEMORY OF JOHN CRAVENS
Beverly Friedl
======================================================== Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.
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TULSA MASTER GARDENERS
4116 East 15th Street Tulsa, OK 74112
918-746-3701
mg@tulsamastergardeners.org
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